Fear – because it’s irrational Fear wakes me up to misconceptions, untrue stories about myself or others, untrue stories about the world. Fear makes me stop and think, fear pushes me to breathe and contemplate. Fear can feel brutal, but I believe it’s meant to be a healer. The energy of fear has encouraged (pushed? forced?) me to purge old …
I have met people who make poor choices, people who act out of fear, people who demonstrate the negativity they feel. They aren’t inherently bad. They’ve just forgotten who they are. Pieces of themselves have been harmed, shamed, or forgotten. They are no longer whole, they act from brokenness. They carry unexpressed experiences and stories. They believe untrue fears that …
As I held my bunny for the last time, I couldn’t help but think about Will Gardner. I read that when the writers of The Good Wife decided to have Will die, they didn’t want it to be a typical television death, they wanted it to be abrupt, like real life. Real life is shocking. It takes you by …
It’s been a tough week. How do we process what we feel? How do we change circumstances? Dialogue and posts are great, but they tend to fade away once we accept what has occurred. I don’t want to oversimplify the complexity of the week’s events, or the challenges of our unique lives. But even the most complex issues necessitate …
Kids are heading back to school in the next couple of weeks and they are feeling it. We parents are feeling it, too. We all have different feelings and experiences when it comes to school, but the word I am hearing the most right now is “anxiety”. Well, of course. We are all feeling a little nervous, scared, and maybe …
This weekend one of my dear friends said something I can’t get out of my head. She said, “My dad taught me that we are obligated to live a good life, to give back in some way.” This resonated so strongly, I literally felt the words when she said them. I know that some will get caught up in the …
I took a walk with my almost-done-with-Kindergarten-6-year-old today. At her suggestion we took a garbage bag with us because she wanted it to be a “litter walk”. She explained that we pick up litter as we move and talk. And that we did. We walked through the whole park and found so much junk to throw away – this created …
I have to work really hard to create a no-clock day. I have to say no to a lot of things, sometimes I even have to reschedule a thing or two. But it’s worth it, it’s always worth it. Having one day a month, or preferably one day a week, when there is no need for a clock feels like …
I used to be uncomfortable in emotional movies because I’m a crier. I am moved very easily, I have always been moved very easily. So during a movie, or when witnessing an act of kindness, or when hearing a touching story, I would hold my breath, or wipe my eyes quickly, or blink fast – whatever needed to be done …
When I ask parents this question, the most common response is: I just want my kids to be happy. This is great in concept, but what does this really mean? Be honest – what does happiness really mean to you? Do you want your children to work super hard so they are the smartest in class? Do you want them to constantly …
Amy Duffin is back with another great guest blog! Some great reminders here for anyone who is trying to be everything to everyone…. SUPERWOMAN. We’ve all seen her. She resides in many of our towns. Sometimes she is in magazines or even on TV. From afar, she looks perfect. She has this confidence about her, her outfits are put together …
As I sit in front of the ocean I think about the smallness of me. I am humbled by the vastness of the water. I think about when I would play in the ocean as a kid and the tide would take me under. As scary and uncomfortable as those moments could be, I never questioned what was happening. I …
By Guest Blogger Amy Duffin Work Life Balance. I am not sure who came up with this term, but to most women, it’s something we dream about, but find it difficult to have. As valuable as a winning lottery ticket, achieving work life balance means that we would actually have the time to meet the expectations of our career AND …
Today several people emailed me the short film “Selfie” that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It shines a bright light on how girls feel shame or discomfort about their appearance, but in reality, their beauty radiates through their differences. I had tears while watching it – for myself, for past generations, for my daughters. I am overwhelmed by how …
Like the rest of the population, I get a rush when I complete tasks and work toward my goals. I have dreams and a vision, and I get excited to move forward and check things off the list. But I simultaneously believe in wasting time. I actually don’t like that language very much – I prefer to call it “doing …
